Vendors of Beneficial Organisms in North America

by Jen White and Doug Johnson, Extension EntomologistUniversity of Kentucky College of Agriculture

This publication is an update of Entfact-125, completely updating the list of vendors, their contact information, and the beneficial organisms they provide. The authors would like to thank Mr. Larry G. Bezark and the California Biological Control Services Program for graciously providing some of the information included in this publication.

Inclusion in this publication does not imply any endorsement nor does exclusion imply any criticism of suppliers or their products. Microbial, or single‑celled, organisms (BeBp, CGB, FBt, GPBb, LBt, ONl) are considered pesticides under current government regulations. Before using these biologicals, consult your county Extension agent for information concerning legal use.

Introduction

Current attitudes in the United States concerning food safety and environmental quality have raised the general public's interest in alternative (non‑synthetic pesticide) pest controls. Although unknown to most people, research and implementation of biological control projects has a long history in the United States. The year 2010 marks the 121st anniversary of the importation and release of the Vedalia beetle into the citrus groves of California. This "lady beetle" predator single‑handedly reduced a major pest (Cottony Cushion Scale) to sub‑economic levels. Kentucky also has successfully utilized biological control. Importation and release of parasites and management of a fungal disease have greatly reduced the first generation of alfalfa weevil.

Although the use of one living organism (beneficial) to control another (pest) works, it can be quite complicated. Simple purchase of a beneficial organism may not be the answer to your pest problem. However, if you are willing to experiment and learn, you may find that use of the various forms of biological control provides good pest control.

Conditions for Success

Biological control (biocontrol) is very different from the use of insecticides for controlling insect pests. Biocontrol is less harsh on the environment and is safer for people to handle, but is more complicated to implement. Unlike chemical insecticides, biocontrol organisms, called beneficials, are alive. They have behaviors that must be understood and are subject to the same adverse environmental factors as are the pest insects.

For best success, ensure that there is some prey (food) for your beneficial organisms to feed on. (Pest insects are the food source of beneficials.) If beneficial organisms are released into an area with no prey, they will either leave in search of prey or die of starvation. Second, use as little insecticide as possible. Beneficials will be killed just as easily as pests by these materials. Additionally, because pest insects are prey (food) for beneficials, killing the pests removes the beneficials' food source. Therefore, beneficials are hit twice as hard as pests by any insecticidal application. As you become more adept at using beneficials, you will find that there are some "insecticides" that may be employed with no, or slight, harm to your beneficial insects.

The following list of vendors includes both producers of beneficial organisms (insectaries) and distributors. Because these are living organisms, storage and shipment conditions can affect the quality of the organisms, which in turn will affect their ability to control pest insects. When ordering, you should ask the vendor questions such as 1) Will the beneficial organisms be shipped directly from an insectary? 2) If not, how long have they been stored prior to shipment? 3) How are the beneficial organisms shipped? 4) What will the beneficial insects look like when they arrive, and how can you, the customer, evaluate their quality? 5) Are there “best practices” for releasing your organisms that give them the best chance for success? Some vendors have a lot of information about beneficial organisms on their web sites, and many will send tips for successful use of the organisms along with shipment. For more information on biological control, here are some other helpful web sites:

BENEFICIAL ORGANISMS CURRENTLY AVAILABLEEach beneficial organism has been assigned a code that indicates the usual use of that organism. For example, organisms used to control aphids all have codes that start with Ap. Where many beneficial organisms are listed for controlling the same group of pests, the beneficials may differ in which pest species are attacked, life stages (eggs, larvae, etc) of pest attacked, or optimal environmental conditions. Please consult with the vendor about the best beneficial organism(s) for your particular situation.

CAUTION! Pesticide recommendations in this publication are registered for use in Kentucky, USA ONLY! The use of some products may not be legal in your state or country. Please check with your local county agent or regulatory official before using any pesticide mentioned in this publication.

Of course, ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS FOR SAFE USE OF ANY PESTICIDE!